Device for securing a propellent charge to an artillery primer



My 6, 1947. E. J. HOTTINGER 2,419,949

DEVICE FOR SECURINQ A PROPELLENT CHARGE TO AN ARTILLERY PRIMER Filed Feb. 7, 1944 Edwin L]. Hcfitinger a AWWM.

Patented May ii, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT orrice DEVICE FOR SECURING APROPELLENT CHARGE TO AN ARTILLERYPRA a Edwin J. Hottinger, Bockaway, N. J. Apr F ry 1944, Ser a Na. 52Ll8fi (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April30, 1928; JG. 757) 1 Claim.

Theinvention described herein may be manulreletured and used by or iorthe Government for gov rnmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a method and means for the holding and retaining of propellent charges in the cartridge cases of howitzer and semi-fixed artillery ammunition.

base of the cartridge case.

Heretoiore this has been accomplished by having two screw eyes fixed in the base of the cartridge case and utilizing a length of silk cord which was looped through the screw eyes and over the initial propellent charge bags. To accomplish this it was necessary that long handled tools be utilized to accomplish the drawing up of the cord thru the screw eyes and over the powder bags where the cord was then tied. Another objectionable requirement was that it was necessary to tap the cartridge case in order to permit the introduction of the screw eyes therein.

.The present invention has as its primary object the provision of a method and a means for accomplishing the results outlined above, namely that of securing the initial propellent charge to the base of the cartridge case without the utilization of looped cords or similar devices. A further object of the invention is to provide a means which will more securely hold the initial propellent charge to the artillery primer without the possibility of slackening or loosening of the cords that held the initial charge in the manner heretofore described.

. An important feature of the invention is that by the utilization of the method and means hereinafter describedconsiderable savings can be effected in the assembly and loading of fixed artillery ammunition by eliminating any requirement for screw eyes or similar hooking arrangements to be amxed to the cartridge case.

The invention can best be understood from the following description to be read in view of the accompanying sheet of drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of device forming the basis of my invention,

2 -Fig-ure 2 asectional view of the device taken on theline A.A of Figure 1,

Fi ure 3 is an elevational view of the device shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view of a cartridge case showing an application of one form of device forming the basis of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, I indicates the retainer forming the subject of my invention. The retainer which is circular in shape has a series of small openings 2 which serve as a means by which the retainer can be sewed or secured to the bottom of a propellent charge bag. The retainer has an opening 3 located within the exact center of the retainer and has a series of slots or channeled openings 4 extending outwardly from the periphery of the opening 3. The opening 3 and the slotted openings 4 are slightly elevated from the base portion of the retainer I in the manner indicated in Figures 2 and 3. The retainer is preferably made of spring sheet metal for reasons hereinafter described.

In Figure 4 there is shown an application of the retainer in the assembly of a complete round howitzer charge. A cartridge case is shown at 5 having secured to the base thereof a conventional type of artillery primer 6. In accordance with accepted practice the initial or base charge I, circular in shape has an opening extending throughout the length of the charge in order that the base charge may be fitted over the artillery primer as is required. The retainer is secured or fastened to the initial base charge in any desired manner. In the assembly of the complete round the base charge having the retainer I secured thereon is forced down into the cartridge case and the retainer l is slipped on the artillery primer and forced downwardly. For each particular assembly or complete round charge the diameter of the hole or opening 3 is slightly less than that of the diameter of the artillery primer. The retainer, however, can be forced downwardly because of the spring tension contained within the retainer permitting a slightly enlarged diameter in the downward movement of the retainer. The initial or base charge is forced downwardly to the bottom of the cartridge case and will be secured and firmly held in position by the spring tension and particular shape of the retainer on the artillery primer causing a tight gripping hold thereon.

While there has been herein described one particular exemplification of the invention in the form of a spring retainer, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be so limited, and modifications may be made from the retainer herein described without-departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

In semi-fixed ammunition, the combination of a cartridge case having a base, a cylindrical primer tube secured thereto and within the same, said primer tube having a portion thereof adiacent said base provided with a smooth peripheral surface, an anchoring device on said primer tube for anchoring an ammunition increment of a propellent charge in said cartridge case, said device comprising an annular retainer ring portion having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings, means extending through said openings for attaching the ammunition increment to said retainer ring portion, a plurality of segmental tongue portions extending radially and inwardly from said annular retainer ring portion, said segmental tongue portions being deflected axially of said annular ring portion, each said segmental tongue portion terminating in an arcuate surface, said arcuate surfaces of said segmental tongue portions lying on the periphery REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,075,969 White Apr. 6, 1937 2,179,373 Hitt Nov. 7, 1939 1,549,794 Palmer Aug. 18, 1925 2,178,599 McCormick Nov. 7, 1939 503,096 Mohr Aug. 8, 1893 

